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1. predefined
Things that are on my calendar that I have to do at a certain time e.g. official meetings, my Monday morning clinic....

2. work as it shows up
Things that need an immediate response, or don't seem worth postponing e.g. a request for urgent advice from one of my trainees, a telephone call from one of my patients. I could choose to do more things that way e.g. responding to a wider range of requests, but usually I shift those to section 3.

3. Defining work
Things that I define and choose when to do e.g. writing a new departmental policy, reading and updating myself on professional matters - basically the majority of my projects and next actions.

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I'm sorry, I don't understand how these are models for making choices... could you please expound? (Guess I'm just dense...)

(c) Jason Womack:

1. As soon you are not doing anything else check your calendar (what has to be done today) and put down things that you really plan to do today;

2. As soon as you have discretionary time given your calendar:
- process IN (*DA suggests to start the day with that) or
- check @action lists and pick one to work on or
- work ad hoc do something that is not on a list

3. Once a week do a weekly review (check calnedar and check lists).

That's what this model suggests. Just types of work you can do at any given moment.

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I'm sorry, I don't understand how these are models for making choices... could you please expound? (Guess I'm just dense...)

A model is simply an example of how to do something. In this case, it is a model of a system used to determine where your focus should or could be at any given time. It helps to become aware of what type of work (of the 3) you are doing at any given time so that you begin to realize that perhaps you're doing more "ad hoc" work and not spending enough time with "big picture" thinking. Perhaps test yourself on a regular day by asking: "Am I allowing others to determine how I work or am I deliberately choosing to do work as it shows up, or work that I have pre-defined, or planning work?"

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Doing work that comes at you during the day
(only after you compare it to your work inventory in NA's and Calender)

Or you are cleaning up your inbasket and turning your STUFF in to Projects, NA's etc.

This sums up the GTD Kung Fu that goes on with every office worker during the day. Inputs (emails, voicemails, delegations from the boss) are stacking up in your collection buckets (email box, inbox). As long as it is in a trusted bucket, you can feel good about working doing predefined work (GTD). If you are interrupted with something that cannot wait, this is doing work as it shows up.. you are deciding that this is now the most important thing to do. A key thing to do during "interruptions/work as it show up" in my experience is just throw whatever you are working on back in to your own in basket. Once you get good at this you can no longer be bothered by interruptions.... you have a safe guard that allows your brain to refocus with out losing where you were. You can safely put things aside and give people your complete attention.

the other idea is when you arent cranking down NA's (predefined) or taking notes from your boss in the hallway about the website rebuild (ad hoc) you are cleaning up the collection buckets of your life and defining and deciding what it all means to you.

The reason why these methods works so brilliantly is that, once learned, the user can really manuever with the most flexibility. It is truly the best systematic way to organize your day. I am still an amateur in a lot of ways, but when the heat is on and 3 people need to talk to you, there are emails waiting, and there are 2 proposals on your desk.. it truly is the fastest way to get the most done and feel good about whats not getting done.